England cricket great Kevin Pietersen rips to shreds Australia's batting line-up
England cricket legend
Kevin Pietersen has fired an early warning shot ahead of this summer's Ashes series in Australia.
After watching Australia's batters struggle in the recent World Test Championship final against South Africa, Pietersen believes England bowlers will have little to fear when the Ashes begins in WA in November.
Among other criticisms, Pietersen said the demise of 30-year-old Marnus Labuschagne was 'very strange' and he said allrounder Cameron Green should not be coming in at No.3
'The batting is not what the batting used to be. Apart from Steve Smith,' Pietersen said.
'I've not seen anything here that would worry me. Not seen it at all.
'I don't know what has happened to Marnus the last couple of years.
'He just won't hit the ball. It's very strange to see.'
Pietersen also put the spotlight on Green, who made 4 and a duck against South Africa.
'Cameron Green is not a No.3,' Pietersen said.
Not only are there form concerns, Australia's top line-up is ageing.
Usman Khawaja is 38 and will turn 39 this December, Steve Smith is 36, Mitchell Starc is 35, Nathan Lyon will be 38 in November and Pat Cummins is 32.
Even Beau Webster, who made his Test debut in January this year, will be 32 in December.
The team is starting to look like Dad's Army but Pietersen was prepared to cut the veteran stars some slack, and backed in the bowlers.
'Smith is a different level, a modern great,' he said.
He also thought Khawaja was certainly good for another Ashes campaign.
'Uzzie is what Uzzie is. He has a good record,' Pietersen said.
'Beau Webster, I've seen better batters than him from what I've seen here. And I've only seen him here and it would probably be hard for me to forge an opinion just on what I've seen here because the ball has actually done quite a bit.
'But just technique ... if I was an English bowler, I would fancy my chances against this batting line-up.
'Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon, Scotty Boland, there's some proper bowling, but as an England bowler (I wouldn't be worried).
'I'd be saying I'd rather be a bowler this Ashes series.'
Labuschagne is expected to be dropped for the Test against the West Indies but he could return to the team for the Ashes.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald is certainly not ruling him out despite the fact he has a century drought that is almost 24 months long.
'He's a big part of the future of the team,' McDonald said.
'Anyone that averages (46.19) in Test cricket at that age (30) is important.
'We've got older players there that are closer to the end than the start.
'If he can get his game in good order for the next four or five years, he can underpin that batting order, but at the moment, he'd be disappointed with the returns.
'We're confident that he could return to his best, hence why we keep picking him, and it's at what point do we stop picking him?
'There's no harder worker than Marnus, and now it's really just about the returns.'
- With AAP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
35 minutes ago
- Courier-Mail
‘Nasty' Oscar Piastri act called out by former world champ
Don't miss out on the headlines from F1. Followed categories will be added to My News. Lando Norris accepted the blame, but outspoken 1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve says Oscar Piastri is not entirely without fault for the bundle between the two McLarens in Canada. The dig at the world championship leader is the latest chapter in Villeneuve's book of disdain for Australian drivers after his regular targeting of Daniel Ricciardo. Like his scathing assessments of Ricciardo during the twilight of his F1 career, the Canadian's opinion on the Norris-Piastri incident is sure to raise eyebrows. Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. As the two McLarens hunted a podium place in the dying laps of the Grand Prix won by Mercedes' George Russell, Norris crashed into the back of Piastri after anticipating a gap would open up on the inside of the first turn. The Australian held his line however, Norris lost control, and slammed into the pit wall, wrecking his car and his race with three laps remaining. Piastri drove on unscathed and held on to finish fourth, widening his gap over Norris in the drivers' standings to 22 points as a result. The Brit immediately apologised on the team radio before making the walk of shame back to the garage. Post-race, he reiterated those words to Piastri face-to-face, and then stressed his sorrow once again in his press conference. McLaren CEO Zak Brown thanked Norris publicly for his 'candour', while Piastri said his teammate's willingness to admit his error was a great quality to have. Team principal Andrea Stella, meanwhile, said Norris made a 'misjudgement' that 'should have not happened'. Lando Norris (right) went for a gap that wasn't quite there. Photo: Fox Sports. Lando Norris walks away from his damaged car after a crash. Photo:/AFP. The FIA stewards placed the responsibility for the incident firmly on Norris' shoulders too, slapping him with a redundant five-second time penalty. The views of everyone directly involved contradicted those, however, of Villeneuve, who couldn't resist yet another chance to target an Australian driver. 'The clash between the two McLaren drivers, [it was] easy to point the finger at Norris,' he said. 'He realised too late that Piastri was moving towards the left because he had his nose in the gearbox of Piastri, he didn't realise it and Piastri was edging gradually towards the left. 'He's not supposed to be doing that, it was a little bit nasty, so there will be some talks later inside the team.' Esteemed F1 commentator Martin Brundle was another who reiterated that Norris was at fault, and respected Piastri's tactics. 'Oscar did well to see the first move coming because Lando was a long way behind when he launched it into Turn 10,' he told Sky Sports. 'Lando probably thought he got him because Oscar was at an acute angle into the final chicane and tight and wide. Oscar wasn't being particularly kind to him, but then why should he? Lando seemed to persevere down that left-hand side when it wasn't on. 'I don't think it was anything other than not recognising early enough that it wasn't going to happen, followed by wiping his front wing on his rear tyres. It was just very clumsy and sort of unnecessary.' Fans on social media love pushing the bold claim that Villeneuve — who was once engaged to pop singer Dannii Minogue — holds resentment towards Australians. His comments about Piastri come after whacking Jack Doohan following his crash in practice in Japan earlier this year, as well as his long-running feud with Ricciardo. Things got 'personal' between Villeneuve and Ricciardo at last year's Canadian Grand Prix when the 54-year-old responded to a question on Sky Sports during Friday practice about Ricciardo's future, by asking 'Why is he still in F1?'. Villeneuve went onto torch Ricciardo's whole career even more harshly. 'He was beating a [Sebastian] Vettel that was burnt out, that was trying to invent things with the car to go win and just making a mess of his weekends,' he said. 'Then he was beating for half a season [Max] Verstappen when Verstappen was 18 years old, just starting. 'Then that was it. He stopped beating anyone after that. 'I think his image has kept him in F1 more than his actual results.' After qualifying in fifth that week, Ricciardo then told ESPN that Villeneuve was 'talking s***'. 'I still don't know what he said, but I heard he's been talking s***,' he said. 'But he always does. 'I think he's hit his head a few too many times, I don't know if he plays ice hockey or something. 'I won't give him the time of day, but all those people can suck it.' Australians are not the only ones in the opinionated former driver's sights however, as he also took aim at race officials for denying fans a more exciting finish in Canada. The race ended under a Safety Car because of the McLarens crash, and Villeneuve suggested that a red flag should have been waved instead. 'What could have been, should have been an exciting race, turned into a not-so-exciting race,' he said. 'The end of the race – I mean, the rules allow for red flags so we can have a new start for a two-lap sprint, always exciting, and they decided to have a boring safety car finish. Well, too bad.' McLaren team boss Stella said the team 'appreciated' Norris' response to the crash. With the two drivers vying for world championship honours, there could be more incidents of its kind to come in the remaining 14 races. Stella believes the internal rivalry will only make the team stronger. 'We did appreciate the fact that Lando immediately owned the situation, raised his hand, and took responsibility for the accident,' he said. 'He apologised immediately to the team. He came to apologise to me as team principal in order to apologise to the entire team. 'It's important the way we respond and we react to these situations, which ultimately will be a very important learning point. 'I don't think it's learning from a theoretical point of view, because the principle was already there, but it's learning in terms of experiencing how painful these situations can be, and this will only make us stronger in terms of our internal competition and in terms of the way we go racing.' Originally published as 'Nasty' Oscar Piastri act called out by former world champ
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
The family business teaching generations of Hunter kids to swim
A LAKE Macquarie institution that has been a part of thousands of families' lives is celebrating 30 years in business. Coughlan's Swim Centre officially opened its doors on June 3 1995. The idea was born from Leanne and Peter Coughlan, with support from Les and Dorothy Lazarus, who were keen to do a small learn-to-swim pool. "We struggled to find the right area to build, then came across our current location [at Warners Bay] which was ideal for a much larger development," Peter and Leanne Coughlan told Newcastle Herald. "It started as a small family dream and quickly grew into a busy family-run business." The jump into running a swim school made sense for the couple who had strong connections to swimming and even met each other through the sport. At age 16 Peter represented Australia in the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the 4x100m freestyle relay where he placed third. He also went on to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in the 100m freestyle. This experience of swimming at an elite level has helped countless athletes at the swim school, who have gone on to Australian and international competitions, and many have returned as coaches or mentors. But at the end of the day the business has always been a family-focused. "It has always been a family affair, with all hands-on deck," Leanne Coughlan said. "Both Peter and my parents retired from previous jobs to help us out. Family members taught lessons, managed bookings, cleaned and performed maintenance around the pool. "This included multiple generations of the family and many friends. The centre was built on teamwork and family values." The business grew very fast and the family estimates tens of thousands of local children have learnt to swim at the centre since it opened 30 years ago. "Today we're proud to serve approximately 3000 children each week, with thousands having come through our program over the years," Peter Coughlan said. In recent years, Leanne and Peter have taken a step back, entrusting family members Hayley, Michael, Katie and Tyler to take on more responsibilities. "Today the four of us lead a fantastic team but management is still very much a shared effort among family and key staff who have been with us for many years," Tyler Coughlan explained. Hayley Coughlan believes the reason the swim centre has thrived over the 30 years of business is because of its community focus, with the team teaching multiple generations of local families to swim. "Our longevity comes down to passion, consistency, and a genuine connection with the swimming community," she said. "Reaching 30 years is a humble and proud moment, it shows the impact we've had, and the trust people place in us. "We take great pride in contributing to water safety and confidence for so many families." The team is holding a 30th anniversary celebration this month to mark the occasion, inviting past and present staff, customers and of course, family. It seems everybody wants to feed the people of Newcastle. Activation events last week saw Oporto stores in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley take part in a nationwide giveaway of 10,000 free full-sized Portuguese flame-grilled chickens. This followed a dessert offering the week before when Krispy Kreme's Newcastle store joined in a nationwide giveaway of 100,000 free doughnuts for National Doughnut Day. "National Doughnut Day isn't just a date on the calendar for us at Krispy Kreme - it is the day we eagerly anticipate all year long," marketing manager Laura Pashby said. "It's become a key moment for us as a brand to connect, celebrate and spread joy across the nation." What delicious giveaway could we manifest for the people of Newcastle this week? A LAKE Macquarie institution that has been a part of thousands of families' lives is celebrating 30 years in business. Coughlan's Swim Centre officially opened its doors on June 3 1995. The idea was born from Leanne and Peter Coughlan, with support from Les and Dorothy Lazarus, who were keen to do a small learn-to-swim pool. "We struggled to find the right area to build, then came across our current location [at Warners Bay] which was ideal for a much larger development," Peter and Leanne Coughlan told Newcastle Herald. "It started as a small family dream and quickly grew into a busy family-run business." The jump into running a swim school made sense for the couple who had strong connections to swimming and even met each other through the sport. At age 16 Peter represented Australia in the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the 4x100m freestyle relay where he placed third. He also went on to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in the 100m freestyle. This experience of swimming at an elite level has helped countless athletes at the swim school, who have gone on to Australian and international competitions, and many have returned as coaches or mentors. But at the end of the day the business has always been a family-focused. "It has always been a family affair, with all hands-on deck," Leanne Coughlan said. "Both Peter and my parents retired from previous jobs to help us out. Family members taught lessons, managed bookings, cleaned and performed maintenance around the pool. "This included multiple generations of the family and many friends. The centre was built on teamwork and family values." The business grew very fast and the family estimates tens of thousands of local children have learnt to swim at the centre since it opened 30 years ago. "Today we're proud to serve approximately 3000 children each week, with thousands having come through our program over the years," Peter Coughlan said. In recent years, Leanne and Peter have taken a step back, entrusting family members Hayley, Michael, Katie and Tyler to take on more responsibilities. "Today the four of us lead a fantastic team but management is still very much a shared effort among family and key staff who have been with us for many years," Tyler Coughlan explained. Hayley Coughlan believes the reason the swim centre has thrived over the 30 years of business is because of its community focus, with the team teaching multiple generations of local families to swim. "Our longevity comes down to passion, consistency, and a genuine connection with the swimming community," she said. "Reaching 30 years is a humble and proud moment, it shows the impact we've had, and the trust people place in us. "We take great pride in contributing to water safety and confidence for so many families." The team is holding a 30th anniversary celebration this month to mark the occasion, inviting past and present staff, customers and of course, family. It seems everybody wants to feed the people of Newcastle. Activation events last week saw Oporto stores in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley take part in a nationwide giveaway of 10,000 free full-sized Portuguese flame-grilled chickens. This followed a dessert offering the week before when Krispy Kreme's Newcastle store joined in a nationwide giveaway of 100,000 free doughnuts for National Doughnut Day. "National Doughnut Day isn't just a date on the calendar for us at Krispy Kreme - it is the day we eagerly anticipate all year long," marketing manager Laura Pashby said. "It's become a key moment for us as a brand to connect, celebrate and spread joy across the nation." What delicious giveaway could we manifest for the people of Newcastle this week? A LAKE Macquarie institution that has been a part of thousands of families' lives is celebrating 30 years in business. Coughlan's Swim Centre officially opened its doors on June 3 1995. The idea was born from Leanne and Peter Coughlan, with support from Les and Dorothy Lazarus, who were keen to do a small learn-to-swim pool. "We struggled to find the right area to build, then came across our current location [at Warners Bay] which was ideal for a much larger development," Peter and Leanne Coughlan told Newcastle Herald. "It started as a small family dream and quickly grew into a busy family-run business." The jump into running a swim school made sense for the couple who had strong connections to swimming and even met each other through the sport. At age 16 Peter represented Australia in the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the 4x100m freestyle relay where he placed third. He also went on to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in the 100m freestyle. This experience of swimming at an elite level has helped countless athletes at the swim school, who have gone on to Australian and international competitions, and many have returned as coaches or mentors. But at the end of the day the business has always been a family-focused. "It has always been a family affair, with all hands-on deck," Leanne Coughlan said. "Both Peter and my parents retired from previous jobs to help us out. Family members taught lessons, managed bookings, cleaned and performed maintenance around the pool. "This included multiple generations of the family and many friends. The centre was built on teamwork and family values." The business grew very fast and the family estimates tens of thousands of local children have learnt to swim at the centre since it opened 30 years ago. "Today we're proud to serve approximately 3000 children each week, with thousands having come through our program over the years," Peter Coughlan said. In recent years, Leanne and Peter have taken a step back, entrusting family members Hayley, Michael, Katie and Tyler to take on more responsibilities. "Today the four of us lead a fantastic team but management is still very much a shared effort among family and key staff who have been with us for many years," Tyler Coughlan explained. Hayley Coughlan believes the reason the swim centre has thrived over the 30 years of business is because of its community focus, with the team teaching multiple generations of local families to swim. "Our longevity comes down to passion, consistency, and a genuine connection with the swimming community," she said. "Reaching 30 years is a humble and proud moment, it shows the impact we've had, and the trust people place in us. "We take great pride in contributing to water safety and confidence for so many families." The team is holding a 30th anniversary celebration this month to mark the occasion, inviting past and present staff, customers and of course, family. It seems everybody wants to feed the people of Newcastle. Activation events last week saw Oporto stores in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley take part in a nationwide giveaway of 10,000 free full-sized Portuguese flame-grilled chickens. This followed a dessert offering the week before when Krispy Kreme's Newcastle store joined in a nationwide giveaway of 100,000 free doughnuts for National Doughnut Day. "National Doughnut Day isn't just a date on the calendar for us at Krispy Kreme - it is the day we eagerly anticipate all year long," marketing manager Laura Pashby said. "It's become a key moment for us as a brand to connect, celebrate and spread joy across the nation." What delicious giveaway could we manifest for the people of Newcastle this week? A LAKE Macquarie institution that has been a part of thousands of families' lives is celebrating 30 years in business. Coughlan's Swim Centre officially opened its doors on June 3 1995. The idea was born from Leanne and Peter Coughlan, with support from Les and Dorothy Lazarus, who were keen to do a small learn-to-swim pool. "We struggled to find the right area to build, then came across our current location [at Warners Bay] which was ideal for a much larger development," Peter and Leanne Coughlan told Newcastle Herald. "It started as a small family dream and quickly grew into a busy family-run business." The jump into running a swim school made sense for the couple who had strong connections to swimming and even met each other through the sport. At age 16 Peter represented Australia in the 1974 Commonwealth Games in the 4x100m freestyle relay where he placed third. He also went on to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in the 100m freestyle. This experience of swimming at an elite level has helped countless athletes at the swim school, who have gone on to Australian and international competitions, and many have returned as coaches or mentors. But at the end of the day the business has always been a family-focused. "It has always been a family affair, with all hands-on deck," Leanne Coughlan said. "Both Peter and my parents retired from previous jobs to help us out. Family members taught lessons, managed bookings, cleaned and performed maintenance around the pool. "This included multiple generations of the family and many friends. The centre was built on teamwork and family values." The business grew very fast and the family estimates tens of thousands of local children have learnt to swim at the centre since it opened 30 years ago. "Today we're proud to serve approximately 3000 children each week, with thousands having come through our program over the years," Peter Coughlan said. In recent years, Leanne and Peter have taken a step back, entrusting family members Hayley, Michael, Katie and Tyler to take on more responsibilities. "Today the four of us lead a fantastic team but management is still very much a shared effort among family and key staff who have been with us for many years," Tyler Coughlan explained. Hayley Coughlan believes the reason the swim centre has thrived over the 30 years of business is because of its community focus, with the team teaching multiple generations of local families to swim. "Our longevity comes down to passion, consistency, and a genuine connection with the swimming community," she said. "Reaching 30 years is a humble and proud moment, it shows the impact we've had, and the trust people place in us. "We take great pride in contributing to water safety and confidence for so many families." The team is holding a 30th anniversary celebration this month to mark the occasion, inviting past and present staff, customers and of course, family. It seems everybody wants to feed the people of Newcastle. Activation events last week saw Oporto stores in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley take part in a nationwide giveaway of 10,000 free full-sized Portuguese flame-grilled chickens. This followed a dessert offering the week before when Krispy Kreme's Newcastle store joined in a nationwide giveaway of 100,000 free doughnuts for National Doughnut Day. "National Doughnut Day isn't just a date on the calendar for us at Krispy Kreme - it is the day we eagerly anticipate all year long," marketing manager Laura Pashby said. "It's become a key moment for us as a brand to connect, celebrate and spread joy across the nation." What delicious giveaway could we manifest for the people of Newcastle this week?
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
A beautiful defensive mind: How Stephen Crichton can mark two players at once
'And I see it every day at training. I'm the one he makes look bad when we run left [edge] against right [edge] drills. It gets very old, very quickly trying to pick Critta's defence apart, he's just so good.' As Crichton slowly, patiently explains the nuances of his craft, you get some sense of just how he pulls off grand final winning intercepts, leads a defensive revolution at Canterbury and marks two elite Origin opponents at once. All while giving away very little, which must be how opposition playmakers feel, even when they seemingly hold all the cards with one-man advantage. The enemy: A different cue for every player The best NRL ball players will bluff defenders with eye contact – locking eyes with an opponent or darting their own one way and passing another. They'll do it with body language, dummying and squaring hips and shoulders to hold a defensive line at bay, or drawing them into an ill-timed rush. Crichton, in response, keeps his powder dry. Not least with a recorder under his nose. 'Oh no, no I can't tell you that, man,' the Bulldogs skipper laughs. 'But to be honest, it's a little bit of everything, and mostly, a lot of extra work in terms of knowing the players you're up against. There's no set piece or single bit of body language or cue that I look for, because every player's different, right? 'Kalyn Ponga is such a different threat to Daly Cherry-Evans. You can't defend them the same way. 'If you try to defend things the same way every time, you're pre-empting it and offering the attack the chance to pick you apart. I guess being predictable goes both ways.' The genetics and grounding: 360 degrees and dinner plate hands Crichton's rare athleticism – he stands at 193cm and weighs 99kg – plays a significant, imposing role in defence. Physically, he can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the game. The 24-year-old's first coach at Penrith, Ben Harden, encouraged Crichton's juggling of AFL (he trialled with GWS Giants), basketball (again, he trialled for the Australian schoolboys side) and rugby league as a teen. The grounding in 360-degree games undoubtedly helped build the spatial awareness Crichton prizes highly. 'Knowing what's happening around each player, how much room they have to move, that spatial awareness is really important and something you can learn,' he says. 'That's a big focus for me at training – knowing what's going on around me. It's something Ciro [Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo] drills home as well.' Burton adds: 'Don't forget those big lanky arms and dinner plate hands. 'He's got an extra foot on other defenders that you have to think about when you're passing.' The decisions: Hold 'em, fold 'em Zeroing in on the 10 minutes of Origin I when Crichton held the Blues right wing on his own, his ability to make the right call stood plain as day. Just as it has countless times already for first Penrith, NSW and now Canterbury. Ciraldo's defensive systems at both clubs have been founded on having options A, B and C to respond to attacking shapes and curveballs – be it a line break, dropped ball or missed tackle. Crichton defends like he has these responses written down his arm. And invariably, makes the right call on which defence to deploy. 'I try and see the play coming from as far out as possible,' he says. 'And if you can rush in and stop an attacking play before it gets too dangerous, then you do. 'But it takes a lot of trust and understanding of what the defenders either side of you are going to do as well. And that doesn't mean you always react as soon as you see a play. 'You might wait until the right time to make your move, too – it could be right up until the play rolls out, and then you're sliding and using the sideline as an extra defender or holding up until your teammates get there to help'. Queensland's two best attacking opportunities against the 12-man Blues went in such fashion. With Zac Lomax noting 'Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin and Stephen Crichton have defended alongside each other forever', Crichton's faith in Cleary had him back-pedalling when Ponga and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow came calling in the 54th minute. Rather than rushing in to shut down play, Cleary is trusted to handle Tabuai-Fidow as time and space dwindle while Crichton covers winger Valentine Holmes as well. When a similar shape unfolds a moment later from a Maroons scrum, Crichton is this time up and forcing a mistimed pass from Cameron Munster. Holmes is then held up as he tries to find the turf, and six NSW teammates end up playing stacks on as the veteran flyer is shoved into touch. Queensland – with a one-man advantage but their attack severely out-of-sorts – don't come calling again. The intercepts: A false economy Crichton has previously pinpointed a one-on-one trouncing he copped from one-time teammate Waqa Blake in 2020 as the turning point for his defensive focus. With video rolling of Blake swatting Crichton away, he and Ciraldo identified there and then what it would take to make him the game's best defensive centre. The same process was behind the 2021 grand final intercept that will keep Cody Walker awake at night for as long as it is remembered. 'People remember the intercepts and think of me as 'the intercept guy',' Crichton says. 'But to me, you can't really defend thinking 'intercept'. That brings you undone. Intercepts happen in a rush and are really a bit of [an] all or nothing gamble. And if you defend that way looking for it, you're going to get nothing most of the time. 'You go looking for the intercept, you're telegraphing and showing what you're doing. And that's when they skin ya. You've shown your cards too early.
